


paper planes

by hibouxx



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Falling In Love, Johnjae makes a cameo, M/M, Non-Explicit Sex, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Time Skips, actor Jaehyun, local fisherman yuta, set in Japan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:54:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26076781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibouxx/pseuds/hibouxx
Summary: A-list actor Jung Jaehyun shoots to international fame after starring in a sleeper hit at age 18. At 26, he gets involved in a scandal that threatens to end his entire career and disappears from the public eye with a single, cryptic instagram post.This is how he finds something worth more than the fame to his name and the numbers in his account, something that's a little more complicated and life-altering than his world crumbling under his feet.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 75
Kudos: 233





	paper planes

**Author's Note:**

> one) this was so exhausting to write, i think i had a mild breakdown trying to finish this  
> two) the angst level is somewhere between mild and totally not mild so proceed at your own risk

FAMOUS ACTOR JUNG JAEHYUN CAUGHT IN A DRUG SCANDAL

 _Actor Jung Jaehyun is facing backlash from the public after his name came up in a number of receipts involving large-scale purchase and distribution of illegal drugs among a circle of celebrities_ —

Jaehyun closes the tab with a heavy, relentless pressure on his chest and nausea churning in his gut. There’s something incredibly ironic with the contrast between the calm tides that lap at the concrete steps of the old port and the force of the storm brewing in him. The late afternoon sun paints the water gold while the ripples catch the last rays of the sun, twinkling like perfectly cut diamonds. Jaehyun leans against the 11-metre tall stone lighthouse to his left and hopes he’s not committing a terrible faux-pas by loitering around a historical landmark. Even if he is, things can’t get much worse for him.

When he imagined how his exit from the limelight would be like, a scandal at the peak of his career was the furthest thing from his mind. It’s the direct consequence of being too young and naive in a dog eat dog world like the entertainment industry. When he’d let his former manager use his name to sign everything on his behalf as a teenager and a young adult, betrayal was a concept he hadn’t known yet. While the police investigation had been brief and seamless, with nothing concrete enough to warrant any jail time, it was obvious that there was no going back for Jaehyun, at least not for a long while. So he runs away, like any normal, fully functioning adult subjected to the horrors of the entertainment world would.

Japan seemed like the most logical option then. Jaehyun’s pretty decent in Japanese, fluent even, after taking extensive lessons for a Japanese series he starred in some years ago. He has better chances staying off the radar in Japan where few would recognise him and on the off chance they do, they’re more likely to leave him alone. So he leaves Korea a week after the news breaks out, when the worst of it has blown over and his instagram and his agency’s twitter page are no longer getting flooded with angry, downright distressing messages every two seconds. He puts his phone on flight mode after sending a quick, reassuring message to his parents without disclosing his whereabouts and changes all of the cash he has on his person at the Hiroshima airport; using any of his cards is not an option if the intention is to disappear without a trace.

Jaehyun is starting to think he’s doing a great job of evading reality when he survives two days wandering aimlessly within the city with no particular goal in mind. He walks the typical tourist path by visiting all the notable landmarks he listed down after a quick online search before he finally runs out of fuel like a car that’s been made to run nonstop for an entire day. So, on his third day in Hiroshima, Jaehyun, acting on pure impulse, hops onto the early morning bus that takes him half an hour away from the city centre and spirits him towards the old port town facing the Setouchi sea, Tomonoura.

He takes a picture of the sky with all its pastel hues and the clouds that drift in tiny clumps, struggling to capture its otherworldly beauty on his smartphone camera.

**_jeongjaehyun** where to from here?

View all 3,245 comments

9 HOURS AGO

-

What Jaehyun doesn’t account for is the possibility that he might get, reasonably and inevitably, lost, especially with the limited transportation access in a small town like Tomonoura and his frequent oversights, one of which is forgetting to bring a power bank when he left his hotel with his phone running on 50% battery. So his phone dies on him as he’s making his way out of the narrow, winding streets and he has enough presence of mind to rightfully panic when he realises he doesn’t remember the direction from which he came from. 

Tomonoura is small enough to be inconspicuous but the right amount of charming and awe-inspiring that one tends to lose track of time, and perhaps direction, that’s what Jaehyun tells himself when he passes the same shop by the road three times in an effort to retrace his steps. Perhaps travelling alone to some remote fishing town with next to nothing in terms of preparations may not be one of Jaehyun’s best ideas, because apart from his indisposition, he also has a track record of being a terrible navigator. 

After leaving his spot at the port, Jaehyun ends up back on the same road where he’d come from, hoping he can ask the old lady from the store for directions. He doesn’t have to, because he jumps at the first sight of a pickup truck pulling up by the roadside a few paces from him. He jogs to it with the urgency of someone planning not to sleep outside for the night and is just in time to see a man climb down from the driver’s seat with a frown. The hat on his head has flaps that cover the back of his neck and casts a shadow over most of his face so it’s hard to tell if he sees Jaehyun approaching. The man pauses mid step and looks up when Jaehyun gets close enough to get a word out, “Excuse me, I’m a little lost. Would you mind showing me the way to the bus station?” 

The man cocks his head in mild confusion and Jaehyun is relieved to find the absence of anything that hints towards recognition, “Are you catching the last bus to the city?” 

He takes a moment to appreciate the honeyed quality to his voice before he nods in affirmation. He doesn’t really know what time the last bus leaves but he assumes soon by the look of mild alarm on the man’s face.

“You’re not gonna make it in time if you walked.” Jaehyun glances towards the pickup truck in a last ditch effort to beg for a ride, the man seems to take the hint because he sighs ruefully before adding in a flat tone, “I’ll take you there, it shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes. Just, give me a moment.”

“Thank you, really.” Jaehyun makes sure to put enough emphasis on _really_ , before he invites himself into the passenger seat when the man unlocks the door for him. He knows he should be more apprehensive about getting into a stranger’s car but Jaehyun has long decided that there are fewer things worse than having to spend your night looking for a place to sleep in a remote fishing town. Worse comes to worst, he knows he can easily overpower the man, who’s undeniably smaller than him.

He watches the driver run to the store and back through the rearview mirror, a small plastic bag in his hand as he climbs into the driver’s seat. An unfamiliar song plays in the background and Jaehyun finds himself unconsciously humming the tune. The drive is as quick as the man promised and Jaehyun breathes out in relief when he spots the familiar white bus still parked at the station.

“Thanks again, I really owe you.” He takes one last look at his unlikely saviour and is five seconds away from bolting to the passenger loading area when the stranger thrusts a glass bottle in his direction. It’s grape flavoured Ramune, still cold from the fridge and wet with condensation. It’s not Jaehyun’s favourite flavour but the gesture touches him as much as it catches him off guard and he cradles it against his chest, unsure how to respond. The stranger hadn’t been the friendliest and he’d only been treated to a frown in the few short minutes Jaehyun had spent with him in the truck.

“Try not to wander off again.” The man says in lieu of a goodbye and turns away when Jaehyun opens his mouth to say something. The last call for boarding slices through the moment and Jaehyun bends into a deep bow before he makes a run for the bus. _What a strange guy_ , Jaehyun thinks as he pops the marble into the bottle and lets the soda fizzle loudly as soon as he’s comfortably seated. It earns him a few irritable looks from other passengers but as always, none are forward enough to call him out for it. 

-

Jaehyun doesn’t have a good excuse for why he’s back in Tomonoura a day later, sitting at a wooden bench in front of the same roadside shop at around the same time as the day before. The weather looks down on him favourably, warm with mild sunlight and the comfortable gusts coming from the sea; Jaehyun isn’t above using it as an excuse for the unwarranted trip, even if the real reason doesn’t go much deeper than that. 

He’s not disappointed when a familiar pickup truck pulls to a stop next to the shop and he’s greeted with the frowning face of the man from yesterday. He looks completely different without the hat, his long hair frames his small, longish face and strong features. He has distinctively high cheekbones and eyes in the shape of a cowrie shell. Jaehyun thinks he’s beautiful but not the made up, polished kind you will see on the covers of a magazine. His beauty stands out in its rawness, unfiltered, and emphasised by the freckles dotting his cheeks and the light tan of his skin. He also looks more intimidating with his upturned nose and annoyed face, “I see you didn’t take my advice.”

“I did say I owe you.” He grins, self-satisfied, as he shoves a bottle of yuzu Ramune — his favourite flavour — to the man’s face and waits patiently for him to take the offered drink before he makes his way to the passenger’s side of the truck without preemption. This time he doesn’t miss the coolers stacked on top of each other at the back of the truck and the bundled up net that point to the conclusion that the man makes a living with fishing. Not surprising considering the reputation of the small town.

The driver groans out loud but climbs back into the truck anyway. When they arrive at the bus station, the man waves Jaehyun off in mild exasperation but the latter is unable to hide the smile that splits his lips when he hears the telltale popping sound followed by the clink of marble against glass as soon as he turns away. 

Jaehyun sneaks a look over his shoulder once he’s far enough away and isn’t entirely surprised when he finds the stranger watching him with disguised interest. He doesn’t realise he’s humming the same song playing in the truck until he catches himself mid-step on his way to the ticketing booth.

-

As much as Jaehyun tries to forget the fact that he’s a famous actor with his career in peril, the truth of his reality is constantly at the back of his mind. A nagging worry that makes him stop midway through anything — paying for his food, picking up supplies from the convenience store or simply figuring out the Hiroshima subway map — and leaves him with a foreboding sense of emptiness and loss. 

It’s easy to say that he’s made enough money from his countless successful projects to consider retirement. His name may be tarnished but that doesn’t mean he can’t live in comfortable obscurity. Except, just the thought of that turns his stomach into lead and weighs heavily on his heart. Everything he built his life around will be gone and there will be nothing left for him except bitter regrets and failure.

So when he comes to the realisation that visiting Tomonoura provides sufficient enough distraction from his destructive thoughts, he gobbles up every chance he gets, jumping on the next bus to the small town everyday without a clear plan. The man with the pickup truck who passes the road to the station at exactly 5:15pm is a bonus Jaehyun hasn’t exactly been banking on. 

-

“I don’t like the yuzu flavour.” The man tells him the next time he finds Jaehyun in the same spot. Jaehyun appears to be right about the man following a certain routine, and the routine seems to be grabbing a bottle of Ramune from the roadside store every afternoon after work.

“A shame. I think it’s the best one.”

“You obviously haven’t tried the lychee, or strawberry.” The man insists even as he continues to drink the yuzu Ramune Jaehyun already had waiting for him on the bench in front of the store.

“I have and I stand by my opinion.” The man scoffs and Jaehyun thinks he’s going to argue back but instead the man shoves him to the passenger seat, more amused than anything. 

“Well, hurry up or you’re going to miss your bus.”

When the man drives him to the station this time, Jaehyun doesn’t forget to ask for his name, “It’s only right, I treated you to drinks twice now.”

“And I drove you to the bus station the same amount of times. Gas is more expensive than a bottle of Ramune.”

“It’s a five minute drive…” Jaehyun trails off as he pulls his backpack over his shoulder, glancing at his wristwatch to make sure he’s not in danger of missing the bus if he’s going to continue wrangling the stranger’s name from him.

The other watches the action with apprehension and sighs against the humid air in defeat, “It’s Yuta.”

Jaehyun grins and extends a hand that _Yuta_ decidedly ignores, “Nice to meet you Yuta, my name is Jaehyun.” 

-

The fourth time Yuta finds Jaehyun waiting for him at the roadside shop, he finally asks the important question, “Why do you keep coming here?”

“Because you’re the only person I know here.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I know your name. Yuta.” Jaehyun draws the _yu_ for good measure and sees the smaller man roll his eyes at the juvenile response.

“That’s hardly anything.”

Jaehyun blinks at him, “To me right now, that’s everything.” 

Yuta looks taken aback for a second and then his expression turns somber. He doesn’t bother with words when he opens the passenger seat door for Jaehyun and the latter reluctantly climbs in. They’re already parked at the bus station and Jaehyun has one foot out of the truck when Yuta finally breaks the silence with his long overdue suggestion, “Come to the port next time so you don’t have to rush back to the bus stop in the afternoon.” 

Jaehyun does just that the next day and finds Yuta unloading coolers from a small fishing boat onto the dock. The sweltering heat leaves Jaehyun feeling sticky, with sweat dripping into his eyes from under his bangs. He wipes them with the collar of his t-shirt and mentally applauds Yuta for being able to function in this kind of weather. Since he always makes a point of meeting Yuta in late afternoons, he’s never borne the brunt of the midday sun.

“You should’ve waited in the shade.” The shorter man admonishes lightly when he finds Jaehyun with a squint and shiny with sweat, sitting on an upturned wooden barrel by the docks. Yuta’s boots make squeaking sounds when they hit the concrete and Jaehyun looks up at the sight of Yuta in his loose clothing meant to keep him cool while protecting him from the sun. A portion of the smaller man’s face is hidden under his hat which he takes off and plops on top of Jaehyun’s head when he gets close enough, “you look like a steamed crab now.”

“Very funny. I wouldn’t have been able to spot you.” 

“But I would. You don’t exactly blend into the crowd.” Jaehyun looks down at his attire; big brand names plastered all over his clothes and sneakers, a watch worth at least 7 million won around his wrist. Yuta’s not wrong.

Yuta’s truck doesn’t have an AC but Jaehyun will take anything over being baked alive so he helps Yuta finish loading the coolers in the cargo bed before he follows him inside. They’re both breathless with the exertion and the heat and drenched in their own sweat so it doesn’t at all surprise Jaehyun when Yuta suddenly pipes up, a tad embarrassed.

“Sorry if it stinks like fish here.”

“I don’t think it stinks. I kind of like the smell.” Jaehyun says without thinking and realises his slip when Yuta looks at him like he’s grown another head. 

“You’re weird.” The smaller man snorts before he adds, “have you had lunch yet?” 

“No, I was too busy getting cooked instead.” Yuta looks mildly amused at his response.

“Well then I hope you’re not picky with food.” Jaehyun is, but he’s not going to say that and he doesn’t think he’ll dislike any Japanese food anyway, if he can take something like nato. So Yuta takes him to a family owned restaurant by the sea, and introduces Jaehyun to the best unagi he’s ever tasted on the hottest day he’s ever lived through.

-

Tomonoura slowly becomes a familiar place, where his name holds no meaning and reality is muffled by the persistent calm that surrounds the town. Yuta comes and goes in his truck like the sun peeking through the clouds, illuminating Jaehyun’s muted days, painting them the same colour as the pastel skies. Jaehyun doesn’t realise how often they’re together until the old lady from the roadside store mistakes him for a distant cousin visiting from overseas, to Yuta’s dismay.

Yuta’s right, Jaehyun is never going to fit in with his flashy clothes and sharp accent and the way his skin burns from the sun but he’s never felt more at ease than he does overlooking the Setouchi sea from the stone steps of the port as he waits for Yuta’s boat to dock. Jaehyun watches from his perch as Yuta shakes his hair out of his face and hauls coolers after coolers onto the shaky ramp. The afternoon sun beats down on his slight figure, an ethereal glow around him as it catches on to the sheen of sweat on his skin and the gleam of his round eyes and Jaehyun finds himself unable to fathom how such uninhibited beauty can exist in obscurity. 

He feels unreal, like a figment of Jaehyun’s troubled mind, like the smallest breeze will dispel the illusion, so Jaehyun holds his breath and stays rooted in place, content to watch from afar.

-

At 17, Jaehyun meets his would-be first girlfriend while auditioning for a role that he wouldn’t get because he doesn’t look pitiful nor impoverished enough for it. His only consolation is the fact that the drama he’s auditioning for flops four episodes in with a miserable rating of 1.8% and has to be wrapped up six episodes earlier than planned. Eunwoo’s a year younger than him, she grew up in America so she has a little accent that gets in the way of some of her auditions. She’s hardworking and nice but Jaehyun often thinks she would’ve been better off as an idol, especially when a year after they started dating, her career tanks along with a badly written indie movie she has the misfortune of starring a minor role in. twenty plus fights over her insecurities at Jaehyun’s steadily growing popularity later, they break it off and she would go off to marry a small time American businessman eight years in the future. 

Jaehyun’s first experience with a man happens a few years after Eunwoo, when he has his first ever overseas location shoot in Vancouver. John’s a DJ at a local bar near their set, he lures Jaehyun in with one or two glasses of tequila and a magnetic personality. He towers over Jaehyun’s own 183cm and it sends a strange thrill down his spine, except that’s all there is to it. Jaehyun loses count of how many times he manages to sneak John into his hotel room until it’s time to go back to Seoul and he realises he doesn’t have any particular attachment to John, his cheeky smiles and his Chicago accent. John feels the same way so Jaehyun’s first fling ends that way, a cheap, fleeting thrill in a 3-star Vancouver hotel. 

Being a household name in Korea means these are some of the things that should never be public knowledge so Jaehyun does whatever his manager asks him to do to avoid the kind of scandal he can’t afford. Put up an act, pretend to be someone you’re not, be what your fans perceive you to be. These come easy to Jaehyun, he’s a method actor, his personas spill into his life without check that it’s sometimes hard to determine where his role ends and where Jaehyun begins. The industry gave birth to his many facets and taught him everything he needs to know about longevity. It’s also the industry and its preconceived notion of perfection that would later punch a hole through his dreams, sinking them prematurely.

A quiet mumble of ‘this one is too small…’ pulls him out of his stupor and Jaehyun peers up from under his cap at Yuta’s side profile, his long and straight nose and the blank look on his face as he appraises a single mackerel from the cooler with disdain. Jaehyun thinks he looks the most captivating during these unguarded moments when he’s too busy in his own world to be bothered by Jaehyun’s persistent presence.

“Hey,” Jaehyun tugs on Yuta’s sleeve because he knows Yuta will find a way to ignore him if he doesn’t take measures, “what’s your first impression of me?” 

“Annoying.” Yuta says with a straight face before he goes back to the mackerel, then adds as an afterthought, “And I still think you’re annoying, by the way.”

Jaehyun chuckles, nodding in satisfaction. He concludes that there's a good reason why he finds himself drawn to the shorter man, beyond the small twitch of his lips when he tries not to smile or the curve of his brows when he looks at Jaehyun with something akin to exasperation. Maybe it’s the way Yuta fills the hollowness despite the thick silence that often hangs over them and the way he makes Jaehyun feel like he’s playing a new role everyday.

So he decides being called annoying is okay, much better than having to acknowledge the chaos that brews underneath his masks.

-

When Jaehyun left Korea two weeks ago, he didn’t factor in the fact that he’d find something worth staying a little longer for. While Jaehyun had no real plans back then, he’d been sure two weeks would’ve been enough to ease himself slowly into his new reality as one of Korea’s most hated celebrities after spending the last eight years being the resident boy next door everyone wants to work with.

He turns flight mode off for the first time since he landed in Japan and feels his heart stop as his phone blows up with notifications. He mutes his instagram and kakaotalk and filters through his messages. 48 messages and 67 missed calls from Doyoung, 6 messages and 23 missed calls from his parents. He reads his parent’s heartfelt encouragement and reassurances first before he moves onto the latest one from his long suffering manager,

_We’re contacting the news outlets about the published articles. It will take a while to clear up your name but it’s not impossible. I hope you’re doing okay. Message me when you receive this._

He puts his phone back on flight mode before he’s tempted to hit reply and buries his anxiety under the anticipation of meeting Yuta after a long night burdened by the uncertainties surrounding his future. 

The only problem is that he hadn’t brought enough cash to last him longer than his intended stay and he’s still not very enthusiastic about using his cards for fear of giving away his exact location. His hotel booking would expire in exactly two days and even if he finds a cheaper one to stay in, he can’t exactly afford the constant travel to and fro Tomonoura. So he goes with the only logical solution when he corners Yuta after their next meal together.

“No.”

“I promise I’ll pay you.”

“Still a no.”

“But why? Would you rather I go homeless and sleep in the streets?” Yuta’s right eye twitches and Jaehyun watches him fiddle in with his fingers in what’s possibly a nervous habit. He feels bad about guilt-tripping Yuta for his benefit but there’s not many tactics he can use against Yuta’s more prudent personality.

“This is what happens when you’re very callous with money.” Yuta scolds in a light tone but there’s no mistaking the firmness of his words. “Why don’t you go back home?” 

The question feels like a douse of cold water and Jaehyun finds himself wincing. He knows Yuta doesn’t know who he really is, or he would’ve shown a hint of recognition when Jaehyun gave his name but he also can’t help the slight trepidation that creeps onto him at Yuta’s suggestion. 

“I...I’m not ready to.” He says, expecting the other man to pry because who wouldn’t, when Jaehyun offers cryptic words that could only lead to speculations. He could also be a criminal on the run for all Yuta knows. Still, of all the endless fairly negative possibilities, Yuta’s expression melts into something Jaehyun can’t put a name to.

“One week. You can stay with me for just one week and then you go home. Got it?” 

“Got it.” Except, going home is the farthest thing from Jaehyun’s mind and he has a feeling Yuta _knows_.

-

The fact that Yuta didn’t recognise him the first time they met and the subsequent times he was subjected to seeing Jaehyun’s face on the daily should’ve already tipped him off that there was something decidedly different about the man. It’s either the news about his fall from fame hasn’t been picked up by any Japanese news outlets or Yuta lives in a bubble. He now knows the truth leans towards the latter, when they arrive at Yuta’s house at the end of what feels like an endless, steep incline. Jaehyun grabs his luggage from the bed of Yuta’s truck and hauls it to the door of an old, traditional house, in case Yuta changes his mind.

Yuta lives alone in the house on the hill, ways away from the buzz of the bayside town and close to the trails leading up to secluded temples in the forest, surrounded by the silence of a self-imposed isolation. The house overlooks the deep blue waters and the wind carries the sound of gentle waves folding over each other. There are two other houses near Yuta’s, both just as old and one of which has been completely abandoned while the other is a vacation house that only sees people coming and going in the last stretch of the golden week according to his host.

He becomes vaguely aware of the low ceiling as soon as he steps into the foyer. The house looks smaller on the inside but it’s exactly how Jaehyun imagines it to be. It smells and feels like Yuta and he’s immediately flooded by the comforting ambiance of a _home_ despite the obvious disadvantage of being six foot tall inside a traditional Japanese house. Yuta looks at him like he knows exactly what’s going on in Jaehyun’s head but makes the mistake of underestimating the extent of Jaehyun’s childish vindictiveness and general petulance.

“This place is perfect.” He says and watches Yuta’s expression shift in disbelief before he settles on something similar to the face he made that time Jaehyun told him he doesn’t mind the smell of fish clinging to his clothes. The image brings a small smile to Jaehyun’s lips and it’s enough to distract him from thoughts that still threaten to pull him under. He has not much cash left on him and nothing to offer Yuta for his kindness but the latter’s outward abrasive nature makes it easier to overlook the inconvenience he’s imposing and Jaehyun starts wondering if Yuta is doing that on purpose.

Two days later, tucked in the comforts of Yuta’s spare futon at three in the morning, he watches the smaller man through the gap between the shoji doors as he pulls his long hair up in a high ponytail and hides it under his hat. His face glows in the relative darkness of dawn and Jaehyun’s eyes are drawn to his sinewy movements and light footsteps as he gathers his necessities with practised ease. He wrenches his gaze away when Yuta turns to look in the direction of the living room where Jaehyun’s supposedly sleeping behind the shoji doors. Jaehyun fights the impulse to take another peek at the expression on Yuta’s face and he’s put out of his misery by the sound of the front door shutting. 

-

Yuta is an incredibly pragmatic individual, Jaehyun sees it in his passing comments and his disregard for anything mildly abstract. He doesn’t care much about the obvious disconnect between them nor does he bother with the fact that Jaehyun hasn’t explained a single thing about his situation. 

“It’s convenient, the income is good, and I only finished highschool so there’s no point looking for a 9 to 5 job in the city.” He says in one breath when Jaehyun asks why he chose to be a fisherman and live by himself in a lonely house up the hill at the very young age of 28. It’s painfully ironic how different they are in that regard, Jaehyun who aspires to touch the intangible, Jaehyun who fell hard because he soared too high, cohabitating with a man whose ambitions were something a little more corporeal. 

“How about me, don’t you want to know what I do? Or what I’m running away from?”

Yuta looks him in the eye, his hair is pushed out of his face by a single ponytail at the top of his head and Jaehyun is physically unable to tear his gaze away, “As long as you’re not running from the authorities then no.” 

Jaehyun is caught between two conflicting emotions at the response; solace and stupefaction but he chooses to dwell on the former.

-

The week passes in relative peace, a blur of early starts and late dinners. Yuta may be a bit blunt and unapologetic with his words but he makes sure to leave food on the table and his old bike ready for Jaehyun’s use, wheels pumped and brakes checked. He tends to either under or overcook anything he makes but Jaehyun has become indifferent to it after an entire week, plus the fact that Yuta’s letting him stay essentially for free. 

Yuta’s boat docks at exactly midday and Jaehyun has taken to riding his bike around town if only to idle the day away until it’s time to meet Yuta at the port. It’s amazing how easily he falls into a routine around the older man and how seamlessly Yuta fits into the gaps Jaehyun has vulnerably left open. Everyday at the port, he welcomes the slightly shorter man with a dimpled smile and Yuta has begun to return them with excruciating wariness. Yuta smells like the sea and looks like the sun, his rare smiles feel like lightning coming down from the sky on a calm evening. He steals Jaehyun’s breath away every time his eyes flutter shut and his thick eyelashes fan across his cheeks, when he lets the breeze twirl his long hair into a dance and carry his voice into the sky. Sometimes he looks over the sea with a sort of forlorn hope and sometimes he looks like he can take everything the world will throw at him.

Yuta is everything unfamiliar to Jaehyun and he’s also everything Jaehyun doesn’t realise he wants.

“Welcome back.” Jaehyun says as he takes measured steps onto the ramp so he can reach out and take Yuta’s hand. He’s not wearing his gloves and his palm is warm and moist as Jaehyun’s grip tightens. His heart is caught in his throat when he hears Yuta’s softly-spoken words,

“I’m back.” 

-

That evening, Jaehyun offers to make the food, taking their last three eggs and the frozen pork chops in Yuta’s freezer and whipping out two bowls of katsu-don from scratch after a quick youtube tutorial. Yuta regards him with shock after he takes his first bite, “You’re kidding me...you can actually cook.”

“Sure I can. Did you assume I can’t because of how I look?” It’s not an uncommon prejudice to have, most of his fans don’t know he cooks and they’ve been following him closely for years.

“No. It’s because you’ve been eating my food all these time without complaint.”

“They’re not bad.” Yuta sees through the blatant lie and gives him a stink eye. The image draws out boisterous laughter from his chest, one he’s forgotten he’s capable of after the gruelling weeks that clogged his emotions and made him feel like a carton of milk, long past its expiration date. 

The shorter man seems surprised by his sudden outburst too because his eyes widen ever so slightly, “You have such a deep laughter.” Jaehyun doesn't know what to make of the statement, especially when Yuta excuses himself to get them drinks, until he catches the tinge of red on Yuta’s cheeks as he ducks into the kitchen.

-

Jaehyun has been staying at Yuta’s for exactly two weeks when he brings up the possibility of working after he ran out of cash at the local convenience store and had to put three of his favourite cup noodles back on the shelves. 

“Why all of a sudden?” Yuta pipes up at the request, hair still wet from his bath and eyes glistening in exhaustion from an entire day of work. Jaehyun tries hard not to get distracted and instead turns his attention to a loose thread sticking out from the hem of his shorts.

“I don’t want to be a burden.” But also, he wants his cup noodles.

“I never said you were a burden.” Jaehyun looks up at the words and immediately regrets it. Yuta has gotten close enough that he can count all the moles and freckles on his face. He has a big one under his eye, and a smaller one near his nose. The older man seems to realise the unintentional proximity and is about to back up when Jaehyun catches him mid-action with a hand around his arm. Yuta’s skin is supple under his touch after a long soaking in the tub and Jaehyun feels the prickling heat around the collar of his t-shirt spread up to his ears.

“You didn’t, but I want to be useful.” Yuta exhales softly and a lump forms in his throat at the way Yuta’s breath fans over his lips.

“Okay, I’ll ask some people.” Then he’s pulling away, away from Jaehyun’s reach. There’s a stiffness to his movements that the younger can’t help but note, especially when Yuta nearly stubs his toe on the leg of the tea table in his haste to get away.

-

That’s how Jaehyun ends up working at a small pastry shop nestled within a row of old houses on a narrow, cobblestone street near the port. He wears a mask to work so there’s no immediate danger of anyone recognising him and he gets to take home the leftover pastries after closing time. He also gets paid cash at the end of every day, an arrangement Yuta specifically requested for him.

“These are good.” Yuta tells him around a mouthful of cinnamon roll, the flakes clinging onto his lips and chin and Jaehyun unconsciously brushes them with his thumb. Yuta gapes at him like Jaehyun committed a grave crime against his ancestors so the younger man scrambles to explain himself, “You had some on your lips.” He’s not going to explain why he’s looking at Yuta’s lips in the first place and the latter doesn’t seem inclined to ask going by his shifting gaze.

“I guess you can be good for something after all.” Yuta finally says to dispel the awkward air, saying a rushed goodnight after pretending to check the time. There’s no mistaking the tension that’s beginning to trickle into their interactions and Jaehyun _knows_ the feeling isn’t one sided so begins to wonder what is it that holds Yuta back. What clouds his eyes with unbidden sorrow when he thinks Jaehyun’s not looking and what pins his hands behind his back when it’s clear that he wants to reach out.

Jaehyun doesn’t find out because two days later, in the midst of figuring out how many bars of milk chocolate to add to the curry, Yuta kisses him with the force of a rocket launching from the surface of the earth. It happens like this: Yuta’s hovering over the pot, worried that Jaehyun’s going to mess up because sweet curry isn’t one of his many fortes, his affinity for oversized clothes means one of his shoulders is bared right under Jaehyun’s nose. Yuta’s hair is tied up in a loose bun, a few strands escaping to fall wispily over the back of his lean neck. Jaehyun does his best not to look down but fails miserably when Yuta unconsciously tucks a stray hair behind his ear and the collar of his t-shirt rides further down his shoulder. 

Without much thought, Jaehyun pinches the stretched out collar between his fingers, fixing it back in place, enough that he can look at Yuta without his mind going a hundred miles an hour. When he looks up he finds Yuta’s gaze on him, dark and calculating.

“Sorry…” Jaehyun says unprompted, not really sure what a proper reaction should be. He’s expecting the other man to brush off the encounter and go right back to stirring the curry that’s starting to smell like the restaurant-grade ones. Except Yuta doesn’t move, instead there’s a strife swimming underneath his eyes and his lips twitch like he wants to say something but is physically unable to. Jaehyun is better at these things; he’s charmed and fooled enough people that he knows exactly what he needs to do to pull someone right in, hook line and sinker, but this time he too, falls short. 

“It’s okay.” Yuta finally manages a drawl, like his tongue has turned into lead between his lips. Jaehyun brushes the tips of his fingers on the lines of the other’s jaw and feels the shiver beneath his skin and the way Yuta leans into his touch, eyes closed, painfully exposed. With a feather-light touch, he tips Yuta’s head up and leans down heavily, pressing their lips together for a long, long moment.

He feels Yuta clutching his sleeves, feels the material wrinkle in his fist as he pushes onto the tips of his toes, lips parting against Jaehyun’s. He tastes like the apple pie Jaehyun brought home from the shop and a little bit of the yuzu Ramune he claims to hate but drinks anyway because it’s the only flavour Jaehyun willingly buys. His tongue slides between their lips, caressing the row of perfectly aligned teeth that Yuta soon uses to scrape across his bottom lip.

Jaehyun’s fingers weave into the long hair at the back of Yuta’s head, carefully undoing the bun and letting the long strands cascade down Yuta’s shoulders. His hair is thick and silky, having never been touched by bleach, never been fried crisp by blow dryers and styling tools. Yuta’s own hands have slithered under Jaehyun’s t-shirt, caressing the little trail of hair below his navel as Jaehyun gasps into the kiss.

“Let me take care of you.” He finds himself breathing out when he sees the beginnings of uncertainty take root in Yuta’s eyes, rushing to take all of his doubts away, throwing it into the wind along with the cruel reality that grounds them.

-

The little incident in the kitchen triggers a series of changes between them. For one, Jaehyun has moved into Yuta’s room on the second floor of the house, his futon neatly arranged next to Yuta’s. Then there are the brief, bashful kisses they share in the morning before Yuta leaves and at midday when Jaehyun uses his break to meet him at the port as Yuta takes his first steps on land after many hours out in the sea. 

Now that they share the same living, breathing space, it’s easier to notice the smallest details that Jaehyun would’ve otherwise overlooked, like the way Yuta’s clothes only occupies half of his closet space or the way he never puts his slippers in the middle of the entryway, always to the side like he’s making space for another. At first Jaehyun thought the gesture was meant for him but he later realised how little sense it makes when Jaehyun doesn’t even wear slippers in the house. He knows there’s an explanation behind all of Yuta’s quirks but he commits himself to the ambitious task of uncovering them one tiny step at a time. 

The wooden steps creak under his weight as he makes his way up after his bath, Yuta’s already tucked in, patiently waiting, when Jaehyung slips into the futon next to him. He still looks mildly uncomfortable when they’re too close, like he’s convinced he’s doing something inappropriate, but Jaehyun can’t fault him. He lives in a town where time has slowed, a world so removed from the bustling metropolis that surrounds it, that he’s probably never considered a physical relationship with another man until Jaehyun forced himself into his quiet life that one afternoon many weeks ago. 

Jaehyun is too lost in thoughts that he misses the shadow of a smile on Yuta’s lips as his arm wraps around Jaehyun’s waist in a mockery of an embrace. There’s too big a gap between them that the position must be uncomfortable to Yuta so Jaehyun scans his face for any sign of discomfort before he wiggles closer, enough that the tip of his nose brushes against Yuta’s cheek when he turns to face him.

“You’re a little clingy today.” He jokes, because this close he can feel the rapid thrum of Yuta’s heart against his chest and his slightly ragged breathing. 

“Hush, you’re ruining the moment.” The older man says that but his face is scrunched up in concentration like he’s trying not to pull away. Jaehyun feels guilty looking at him but he can’t bring himself to lean back. He wants to do the opposite but he knows Yuta’s not ready. 

“You don’t have to-“

“Jaehyun?” The slighter man sharply cuts him off, and then his voice mellows into a silvery whisper, “I’m trying.” Jaehyun lets out a breath from deep in his chest and proceeds to lace their fingers together over his waist.

-

A few familiar faces pop up on TV when Yuta switches it to a music channel. Jaehyun is by no means a singer but he’s met a few idols while promoting his Japanese drama, especially since many of them happen to be the most popular local actors as well. It’s a small blessing that his last project in Japan had been eons ago, otherwise it would've been harder to escape detection. Yuta’s peeling an orange beside him with careful attention, some of the juice squirts on Jaehyun but it’s so rare seeing Yuta this focused on something so menial that Jaehyun doesn’t have the heart to call him out for it.

The older man offers him a piece when he’s done and Jaehyun happily plucks it from his fingers with his lips, delighting in Yuta’s scandalised face. 

“Do you ever wonder if they regret being so popular?” The shorter man asks, referring to a fairly popular actor currently on screen, one Jaehyun recognises by his massive height and strong aura. “Their lives are not really theirs and there’s no telling if they’ll ever have it back.”

The question jostles him, he exhales shakily and hopes Yuta doesn’t notice the tremor in his voice when he blurts, “I’m sure they do, sometimes, but it’s probably not always that bad.” Yes, Jaehyun internally confirms, it isn’t always muted greys and long hours of suffering, sometimes it’s pulsating with colours and excitement but it’s not like Jaehyun can easily slip back into those times either. 

He sees Yuta stiffen from the corner of his eyes before the tension ebbs slowly from his body. Jaehyun recognises his efforts to be inconspicuous but it doesn’t take away the instinctual need to comfort, so Jaehyun pulls him closer by the hand and lets Yuta bury his face in the crook of his neck. The smaller man melts into Jaehyun as he fumbles for the feel of the solid body right next to him.

Moments like these remind Jaehyun why he hasn’t thought about leaving. Jaehyun breathes in the unique combination of cedar and the fresh scent of the tatami floors, carefully associating every sensation to the sight of Yuta calmly pressed against him. The heat that comes off the smaller man douses him in acid like fire as his mind fills with less than proper thoughts.

“Jaehyun,” Yuta is the first to break the silence, Jaehyun feels his body vibrate with palpable need, “Will you hold me?”

Yuta’s words set him ablaze, the fire inside him burning through his skin as he cradles the smaller man’s face between his shaky hands, “Are you sure?” and the subtle nod Yuta rewards him is all the persuasion he needs to press their bodies flush together, not a sliver of space between them. He explores the span of Yuta’s skin an inch at a time, as their clothes are discarded in their haste and Jaehyun's eyes rake over every curve, every contour of the body underneath his. Yuta has more moles under all those loose clothing, Jaehyun traces them with his tongue as the smaller man scrambles for purchase.

The tatami is rough under his knees, leaving a sharp sting that cuts through the haze but Jaehyun doesn’t care, not when the moment feels like a split second and an entire lifetime happening at once. Jaehyun wipes Yuta’s tears with the back of his hand, very gently, and allows him to sob into his chest at the first prickle of pain as the Jaehyun eases in, “You’re doing so well” he whispers breathlessly as he scoops Yuta closer. He doesn’t promise him spellbinding pleasure, nor does he offer him the world but Yuta concedes, letting Jaehyun in despite his fears and his pain. He lets Jaehyun in, despite the secrets and the unanswered questions. Together, they soar high and hand in hand they come back down with shuddering breaths.

“Don’t leave me.” Yuta whispers in a moment of weakness, and his words ring in Jaehyun’s ears long after he’s cleaned them both up and they’re wrapped in the spare blanket Yuta keeps under the tea table. Later, when Yuta has drifted into a fitful slumber, Jaehyun carries him up to the room with shaky legs, the warm draft from an open window envelopes them like the blanket that’s fallen away halfway up the steps. The older man stirs in his sleep, long, damp bangs falling away from his face and Jaehyun’s throat constricts because he’s reminded that Yuta’s frighteningly real, and not just another character in one of Jaehyun’s many fabricated universes.

Yuta is warm and real under his touch, and he thinks he may be falling too hard, too fast.

-

ACTOR JUNG JAEHYUN HAS BEEN CLEARED OF CHARGES 

_The young actor’s agency finally confirmed with an official statement that Jung Jaehyun was acquitted in the case following police investigation. The actor’s former manager is currently under investigation after allegedly forging Jung’s signature on his accounts, making multiple transactions under his name —_

-

Jaehyun trails kisses from Yuta’s exposed shoulder to the column of his neck and mouths the back of his ear, “Your ears are the perfect shape for piercings.” He rasps, using his fingers to show exactly where he thinks a few flashy earrings will look the most stunning. Maybe dangling ones, like those idols wear. The younger also delights in the discovery that Yuta’s incredibly ticklish, especially when he fails to stifle the giggle that bursts through his lips, despite his efforts to keep a neutral face.

“Stop it.” Yuta demands without real heat, and his breath hitches when Jaehyun pulls the blanket further down his tiny waist. Jaehyun’s too spent to go another round and he’s not about to push Yuta over his limits, especially after the man spent the next few days after their first time limping. He’d been a little pissed at first, claiming Jaehyun could’ve gone easier on him but then he backtracks with reassurances at the first sight of Jaehyun’s downturned lips. He’s a contradiction Jaehyun’s never going to get tired of trying to figure out. He sometimes hopes he has forever to count on.

For now, he’s content looking at the marks he left on the golden skin; the print of his hand in the form of a bruise on his hip and the little red marks where Jaehyun deliberately dragged his teeth. They’re small, insignificant things in the big picture, like the secret kisses they share at the port, and the knowing smiles they sneak over people’s heads when they’re asked if Jaehyun’s a distant relative, but they remind him of his claim on the older man even if they’re temporary. 

Jaehyun holds Yuta for as long as he can, until the sun filters into the room, until Yuta only has eyes for him and Jaehyun only knows his touch and kisses. He knows nothing good will come out of muting the rest of the world while he puts together the ideal narrative of a holiday romance, not when reality is slowly creeping up to him. But he doesn’t care, he thinks to himself as he captures Yuta’s lips into another languid kiss, he stopped caring a long time ago.

-

Their world shifts on its axis when Jaehyun finds a thick, brown envelope in Yuta’s mailbox, sticking out like a sore thumb among the morning paper and colourful flyers. Jaehyun sees it first because he gets off work earlier than usual and comes home before Yuta, so he plucks the envelope and leaves it on the kitchen table where he’s sure Yuta will see it first thing when he fetches himself a glass of water after a long day in the heat. Jaehyun’s in the shower when he hears the front door open, and light feet shuffle to the kitchen.

The silence that follows stretches for too long and Jaehyun is starting to wonder if Yuta came home at all but then he finds him sitting at the table with a blank face and a distant look in his eyes when he rushes to the kitchen after his shower, unintentionally trailing droplets on the floor. The envelope is nowhere to be seen. 

“Hey, are you alright?” Jaehyun’s hair is still dripping and his t-shirt already has wet spots all over. It’s the first thing Yuta notices when he snaps out of his stupor. 

“Why didn’t you dry properly?” He chides lightly, and it’s obvious he’s not planning on addressing Jaehyun’s question. He hightails it to the bathroom and comes back with a small towel, forcing Jaehyun down one of the chairs so he can towel his hair dry without having to stand on his tiptoes. 

_I wanted to make sure you were okay_ , “I was gonna check if we still have carrots.” He lies through his teeth and is relieved at the way Yuta’s features light up in mild amusement. 

“Really Jaehyun? You couldn’t have waited for that? I’m cooking tonight anyway, I’ll just put whatever we have together.” His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes and Jaehyun simmers in restless anticipation the entire evening even as Yuta cleverly dodges the questions about the envelope and his sudden somber mood. It’s past midnight when Yuta stirs in his hold, under the impression that Jaehyun is asleep, he wiggles out of the futon and treads lightly to the door. Jaehyun doesn’t follow him, not immediately anyway, because Yuta looks like he needs the space but then he remembers his words, _don’t leave me_ , and he’s on his feet in a second.

He finds Yuta sitting at the veranda with a cigarette between his lips, the familiar and consoling scent of pine and seawater is masked by the smoke and ash and the embers that the wind carries into the night sky. Yuta sees him and wordlessly makes space next to him, he hands Jaehyun the stick when he notices him staring staring intently at it.

“The envelope…” The shorter man rasps, his eyes following Jaehyun’s lips as they close around the stick, his cheeks hollowing in a deep inhale, “that was a copy of my divorce papers. It was recently just finalised.” 

The smoke drags at the back of his throat and flows into his lungs like blissful relief. He coughs a little but he gets his breathing back in control soon enough. it’s been a long time since he last touched a cigarette and though he isn’t planning on changing that any time soon, there’s something eerily comforting about sharing a smoke with the man he occasionally fucks and might indisputably adore, who also turns out to be a divorcé at 28. If he thinks his life has gone to hell too soon, he might have to reconsider his opinion.

He wants to say he had no idea, or that Yuta caught him flat footed with the revelation, except there were clues here and there, from the very beginning. It’s not like Yuta’s taking any active measures to hide the truth.

“A childhood sweetheart?” He asks because that’s the only logical conclusion he can come up with.

“Close. She was my highschool girlfriend. This house used to be her grandmother’s, she gave it to us shortly before she passed.”

“What’s her name?” _What is she like? Why did she leave?_ There’s so many questions at the tip of his tongue but Yuta looks worn and Jaehyun doesn’t think he can watch him dip any lower.

“Her name's Chiyo. She was a little too spirited for this small town. She wanted to be a nurse, so she went and became one. She was a force of nature, nothing would’ve held her her back. Maybe that’s what I liked about her too.” Yuta takes the stick from Jaehyun’s fingers, taking one last drag before he throws it to the ground and crushes it under his slipper. He knows Yuta will pick that up in the morning, he always does, that's why Jaehyun took a while to realise he even smokes. He clears his throat as if he’s clearing the air between them, leftover smoke escaping in small bursts between his teeth,

“Do you know, they say that if you launch a paper plane from this hill, that it’s going to reach all the way down to the sea when the wind is blowing in the right direction at the right time.”

Jaehyun tears his gaze from the smaller man to look in the distance, over the railings, at the sleepy little town below, at the gleam of moonlight on the surface of the water and at all the memories they’ve made on the gentle slopes of Tomonoura. “Have you tried it?”

“Of course but so far I’ve never been able to get the right conditions.”

-

Later, he finds out what Yuta meant when he launches his best attempt at a paper plane and the breeze carries it away, seemingly in the direction of the sea, but then it swerves and goes down, far, far out of Jaehyun’s line of sight.

-

Drinking is one of Jaehyun’s few strong suits, along with his inability to distinguish reality from the enchantment of made up realities. Yuta isn’t so bad himself, looking only the slightest bit tipsy after two cans of Strong Zero. Jaehyun hates the taste, it’s as if the abomination was made for the sole purpose of getting people black out drunk because it’s highly unlikely that anyone would buy it for anything else. So he assumes that’s Yuta’s intention all along.

The man in question is lying on his back on the living room floor, staring up at the ceiling like it holds the answer to all his questions. Jaehyun is unable to help himself when he laces their fingers together, Yuta’s hand is slack in his, as he breaks the companionable silence, “Tell me Yuta, what are we?” He asks only because he feels braver with alcohol swirling in his belly. Yuta doesn’t look at him but he feels a slight twitch from their joined hands.

“I don’t know.”

“Should we figure it out?” 

Yuta looks appalled as he props himself on his elbow, his flushed cheeks lending him a softer glow, “Did you just steal that line from the drama you were watching the other day?” He retorts flatly and Jaehyun is unable to hold back the chuckle that bubbles up his throat.

“No silly. Come on, let’s dance.” Jaehyun’s already reaching for his phone as he says this, scrolling through his multiple playlists for something that isn’t EDM or kpop and stumbles right into a long forgotten favourite that’s been buried under all his recent downloads.

“Is that some kind of code for foreplay?” 

Jason Mraz plays loudly over the buzz of the TV and Yuta cocks an eyebrow at his choice. Jaehyun finds amusement in the fact that Yuta's incredibly expressive when he's tipsy.

“Oh trust me, you’ll know if this is foreplay.” Jaehyun pulls the reluctant Yuta to his feet, catching him by the waist when he sways a little. He takes advantage of Yuta’s discoordination and twirls him despite his half-hearted protests, which eventually turn into giggles and then Yuta’s clutching him by the shoulders, trying to follow Jaehyun’s steps and failing. It’s hardly a dance and more of a pair of inebriated men trying to stay on their feet.

_But I won’t hesitate no more, no more_

_It cannot wait, I’m yours_

At some point Yuta trips over a misplaced slipper, which almost sends both of them to the floor if not for Jaehyun’s quick reflexes. They flounder for a bit trying to regain their balance and start laughing when they realise how stupid they must look. Everything is funny and simple around Yuta and Jaehyun zeroes in on him despite the way the room has started to teeter.

“I can’t dance!” Yuta nearly screams in his ear — Jaehyun never took him for the loud type of drunk — but he’s actually a natural, and easily gets the hang of it. Maybe Yuta would’ve been a great dancer given the opportunity, with his natural fluidity and light feet, but Jaehyun doesn’t get to dwell on the thoughts long because Yuta’s heart is pounding against his chest from exertion and maybe something else.

“You’re doing very good though.” Jaehyun says, arms still around Yuta even as they fall in a heap on the floor. The smaller man is a solid weight on top of his chest, mouth curved into a wide grin as he moves to get off lest he crushes Jaehyun with his bony limbs.

“We should try that again when we’re sober.”

“You’re so annoying, I can’t believe you made me do that.” Jaehyun feels sort of smug, because he did that, he made Yuta, reserved and awkward as he is, dance like they won’t have another morning.

“It’s fine, you’ll forget most of it by tomorrow.” 

_Look into your heart and you’ll find the sky is yours_

Tucked in their little hide-away where nothing else matters but the simple moments they share, the little kisses and rambunctious laughter and just the two of them. It’s euphoria, contained in a small box on top of a hill, overlooking the sea.

-

He makes his first phone call to Seoul the day after their little drunken romp in the living room. Doyoung picks up before Jaehyun can mentally prepare himself for the lecture he has coming.

 _“Finally! I was beginning to worry they’ll find your body in a ditch somewhere.”_ Jaehyun cracks a smile at the carefree tone, not expecting to be let off easily. 

“Hey hyung, sorry for all the trouble.”

_“It’s not your fault Jae. Your parents miss you, your fans miss you, heck even the agency misses your dubmbass loitering in the lobby.”_

“They just miss me for the free coffee every Friday night.” The mention of one of his frivolous spending habits is a jarring reminder that the Jaehyun he left behind is a completely different person from the one currently standing in the middle of Yuta’s living room, wearing Yuta’s socks and watching reruns of Yuta’s favourite variety show. 

“We can’t wait to have you back.”

“Hyung, about that...I’ve been thinking, maybe this was a sign, that I should retire…”

_“Jung Jaehyun what are you thinking? You’re 26, at the peak of your career! You have projects lined up, an entire future ahead of you. Yes you hit a bump but you got over it, you have a chance to come back, why would you want to quit?”_

“It’s not about the scandal...I was just thinking that I don’t want any of these anymore. Maybe I’ve been in this business for too long—“

 _“You don’t mean that. You’ve been dreaming of making it big for as long as I’ve known you.”_ Which has been a long time, Doyoung is a family friend, he’d grown up watching Jaehyun flourish under the harshest conditions, and watched him be the star he was, apparently still is, now. He’d become so invested in Jaehyun that when his former manager walked out on him, Doyoung stepped right into the role with as much grace as someone who had no clue what they’re doing. Doyoung was young and inexperienced but he made it work, Jaehyun’s agency trusts him, Jaehyun trusts him.

“I met someone.” He finally admits. 

_“What do you mean you’re quitting show business because you met someone? What, are you settling down? Did you get her pregnant?”_

“It’s a man, hyung.” Jaehyun rubs his temple.

 _“You’re giving up your career for a man you just met.”_ Doyoung says dryly. Jaehyun doesn’t need to see him to know the expression he’s wearing at the moment.

“I didn’t just meet him, I’ve been—“ he cuts himself halfway but Doyoung already got the hint. He swallows the lump in his throat as he waits for all of it to sink in.

 _“Have you been living with a man since you left Seoul? Is that why you don’t want to go back? You want to stay there…_ ” he utters the last sentence in disbelief and Jaehyun feels shame churn in his gut. He shouldn’t let Doyoung’s skepticism make him question his decision, he shouldn’t let Doyoung get to him at all.

“It’s more than that. This isn’t some passing infatuation, I plan to be with him, for good.” 

_“And at what cost, Jaehyun?”_ The words are scathing and Jaehyun flinches, because at what cost, indeed.

-

Doyoung tells him to think about it, to not make hasty decisions in the heat of the moment, to figure things out with Yuta. Except he can’t, because Yuta doesn’t know about him, he’s never questioned and he doesn’t seem to care much about where Jaehyun came from or why he’s here. He takes all of Jaehyun on his back, on his knees, lets himself be bent over a table, bearing all his vulnerabilities; all of it for Jaehyun. He keeps letting Jaehyun take but never asks for anything in return.

Jaehyun doesn’t think he can betray something so precious, nor can he imagine living without those little, seemingly insignificant moments that make up everything he now associates with _home_. 

But he tries, because he owes Yuta the truth and Yuta deserves to be more than just a secret tucked in a small fishing town in Hiroshima, “What if I tell you who I really am, or why I’m here?” Jaehyun says when he parts from Yuta, lips still tingling and eyelids heavy. The smaller man is the epitome of turbulent with his bruised lips and flushed cheeks, his hands already gripping Jaehyun’s collar for another kiss.

“Where is this coming from?”

“Maybe I just don’t want secrets between us anymore.” Yuta seems to consider but something flickers in his eyes and then he’s recoiling as if he’d been burned.

“Don’t tell me.”

Jaehyun startles at being shot down, “Wha—”

“Don’t tell me.” Yuta maintains, more forcefully this time, drowning Jaehyun’s protests in another kiss, lips lingering and hands already sliding under his clothes.

-

Jaehyun often thinks about what will become of him if he does leave — if, not when — and if there will be another time when he can sell pastries inconspicuously with his heavily accented Japanese or kiss Yuta on a wobbly ramp that stretches into the sea. Then there’s the other side of his world that he’s muffled long enough to build the illusion he’s been living in the past months. It’s screeching to be acknowledged, clawing at his consciousness like a long buried secret that doesn’t want to stay buried.

His thoughts manifest in the way his gaze lingers on his phone and the way he perks up at the image of another Korean actor that recently makes it to Japanese television. He wonders if Yuta ever notices, especially when he looks at Jaehyun like he’s something transient and intangible, a fleeting moment he’s unable to grasp.

-

Jaehyun makes up his mind long before Doyoung first brought up the obvious problem, and Yuta slipping from his fingers has turned into his single biggest fear that seems to only get closer with every passing day. He knows they will have to pry what they have away from him by force but he will never willingly give up Yuta like Chiyo did, but things take a different turn when it’s Yuta who seems to be intent on taking it away from him.

“We need to talk.” The older man says grimly over their kitchen table. _Theirs_ , Jaehyun thinks with a sinking feeling, because this house has become their home. An unrustled nest, removed from the rest of the world below, where he can have Yuta and Yuta has him.

“About what?”

“You should go home.” Jaehyun balks at his words. It’s like they’re back on square one and Yuta is far out of his reach yet again. 

“What do you mean? Why?”

“I think you’ve overstayed your welcome. It’s time you go back.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” 

“Jaehyun.” 

“I said no, I’m not going anywhere! Why are you doing this?!”

“Jaehyun, please.” There’s a sharp finality in Yuta’s tone and all the fight drains from Jaehyun at the possibility that he may have been reading Yuta wrong all these time, that he may have been the only one pinning. But then, Yuta’s eyes, big and expressive, shifts away from Jaehyun but not quick enough for him to miss the agony in them. He thinks he’s lived with Yuta long enough to recognise his body language, especially when he makes a run for the bathroom and slams the door behind him.

He’s left standing in the middle of the room reeling from the exchange. Tenacious as he is, he hesitates to follow because Yuta’s words hold more power over him than he initially thought and he thinks his heart might just stop if Yuta pushes him away another time, if he twists the metaphorical knife any deeper. Jaehyun is zealous and daring but he’s also a coward who can’t carry the weight of his own expectations.

Still, his feet take him in front of the bathroom door against his better judgement, and it’s where he hears the softest of sobs. Drowning the doubt that claws up his throat, he tries the door and isn’t at all surprised to find it locked. Everything in the house is old so a single hard shove is all it takes, and the door gives under Jaehyun’s weight. He finds Yuta sitting on the edge of the tub, face cradled in his hands. He sobs uncontrollably and Jaehyun hears the echo of his pain from the vibrations of his shoulders and his breathless pleas, _“I’m sorry, please don’t leave.”_

The image is so discomfitingly distant from the proud Yuta who will brave the sea in the darkest hours and will confidently let a stranger into his home like he’s untouchable. He realises with a start that this is who Yuta is underneath his hard exterior, a man filled with insecurities and heartbreak, the man who was left behind, alone, in the old house on top of the hill. It shatters Jaehyun and at the same time it steels his resolve.

“Hey, I’m not leaving. I’m not going anywhere.” He blurts before he can stop himself, before he kneels in front of the smaller man, “I’m not leaving like she did. You’ll have me.” _The way you never had her_ , are the words unsaid. _I’ll be yours, like you let yourself be mine._

He takes the small face between his hands and peppers his cheeks with kisses, covering up the tear tracks with his lips.

-

**_jeongjaehyun** where to from here?

_View all 89,046 comments_

9 WEEKS AGO

**jjh_0214** jaehyun-ah please come back, we can’t wait to see u ♡♡♡

 **Yoonx_** jaehyun where did you go? We miss you

 **Je-woo1109** are you doing well? We’re patiently waiting for your return

-

On an uneventful Saturday morning, Yuta takes him to the woods further up the hill. Jaehyun holds his hand the entire time and doesn’t dare let go even when faced with Yuta’s trademark sass and no nonsense attitude. “I can’t believe your endurance is shit.” He says as he begins to shake off Jaehyun’s hand when it becomes apparent that the younger man can’t keep up with his pace.

“It’s not, this is just a really steep hill.” 

“So all that bursts of strength is just for show, huh.” 

“Hey, of all people, you should know the best how good my endurance is.” He shoots the long-haired man a sly smirk which earns him a well deserved shove. Yuta doesn’t try to get rid of Jaehyun’s hand anymore, nor does he complain when Jaehyun drapes his body over him as they reach the top of the stairs. Jaehyun lets himself gasp audibly at the sight, only now wondering why he never thought of coming here before. Nestled among trees is a temple that offers them a stunning view of the bay and the islands in the distance. 

Right there, backdropped by the town Jaehyun had fallen in love with and fallen in love in, with only just the two of them, Yuta draws him close with his hands, rough from hard work but beautiful in its elegance. 

“You really just appeared out of nowhere like a dream.” Yuta says while he traces the lines of Jaehyun’s eyebrows and then the length of his nose before his fingers pause at his dimples, a tentative touch that turns exploratory, like he’s memorising every part of Jaehyun. Jaehyun melts into his touch and vibrates with the need to be closer, except Yuta doesn’t move any further. He stares at him contentedly, eyes glowing with affection.

“Yuta…” The words are caught in his throat. The smaller man rarely lets himself be this open and the effort warms him to his core before he comes to the realisation that Yuta makes breathing a little easier, he makes living feel more worthwhile and Jaehyun thinks he might really be willing to give up everything for this man. If he asks for the moon, Jaehyun will give him ten of them, and if he asks for Jaehyun to stay, he knows he will never, ever leave.

-

The night hasn’t given its reins to the sun and the sea remains enveloped in darkness when they head out. He’s wearing Yuta’s windbreaker, it’s too big on him but is just the right size for Jaehyun who points it out rather smugly to the other's annoyance. In all of Jaehyun’s life spent playing every possible role, he’s never had to sit on a boat surrounded by the calmest waters, under the watch of stars burning bright into the night sky. 

The boat jostles a bit when Yuta starts throwing the net into the water and Jaehyun finds himself gripping the sides of it a little too tightly. Yuta notices the action because he reaches out and takes Jaehyun’s hand in his, “You’re okay. It’s safe.” His voice is still scratchy from sleep but it has the distinctive honeyed quality that Jaehyun clings onto to distract him from the fear of their boat capsizing. The waters are too calm for that possibility, but he can’t help the churn of apprehension in his gut anyway.

“Look up instead.” And he does, and he’s rewarded by one of the most beautiful sights he’ll ever be privy to. He feels the pull of the stars and wants nothing more than to reach towards them but Yuta’s hand is firmly slotted in his, keeping him grounded. Yuta sees this view every night, he sees the first rays of the sun as it peeks from the horizons, the water turning from a midnight abyss into a deep blue, Jaehyun realises in awe. 

“This is amazing.” He breathes out, still looking up, beyond the small boat that keeps them afloat, “I can’t believe I didn’t ask to come with you sooner.” 

“We’re pretty far from the city so there’s very little light pollution. You can see the milky way clearly, especially on cloudless nights.” Jaehyun nods, feeling the ends of his lips pull up in a small smile. There’s something incredibly surreal about looking at the night sky with a warm and tangible presence clasped in your hand. Suddenly, he’s reminded of the world he envisioned before he was treated to the cruel reality of the path he decided to pursue.

“Yuta…” He whispers, a little lightheaded when he finally tears his gaze away from the distance so he can look at Yuta, at his sad smile and his eyes shining with tears, “Yuta, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just a little overwhelmed.” He uses the back of his free hand to wipe at his eyes, clearing his throat as he continues, “It’s beautiful isn’t it? It’s a reminder that the world is big outside this town. That there are more beautiful sights to be seen, greater adventures to be had.” He lets go of Jaehyun’s hand as he speaks, one finger at a time, but the feel of his skin lingers. 

“Here is also just as beautiful.” Jaehyun says, fervently shaking his head but Yuta isn’t looking at him anymore, instead he’s staring up at the stars, crestfallen, like they’ve betrayed him.

It somehow feels like goodbye.

-

17 year old Jaehyun is dumb and awkward and is careless with his emotions, but he gets away with it because he’s good looking and talented and he has people cleaning after his mess every time. 26 year old Jaehyun is not that much better, he still has people tripping over themselves to please him, he can still be a trifle crass and vindictive given the situation, and above all, he’s still as stubborn as he’d once been when he pursued that pretty girl from the auditions, despite all odds.

It’s this stubborn streak that keeps him from making the logical choice, but he doesn’t have to anymore, because Yuta makes that decision for him when he sits the taller down onto a cushion in the living room, their fingers weaved together perfectly like they were made to go between each other. Yuta is unabashedly beautiful with his hair down and his long, slender neck and one bony shoulder bared for Jaehyun’s eyes to feast on. 

“Jaehyun? I think it’s time for you to go.” Jaehyun is thrown off balance because he thought they were long over this.

“This again? Yuta, I —”

“It’s not possible between us. It never was.” Yuta cuts him off and he utters the words in a painfully casual tone that something heavy and cold takes hold of Jaehyun's limbs and keeps him frozen in place.

“Do you really want me gone? Are you backing out without even giving this a try?” 

“Tell me Jaehyun, what were you planning to do here? Continue manning the pastry shop until you’re fifty and miserable? You’re not even legally allowed to work here.”

“I can find a job, somewhere near here, somewhere where they can sponsor my visa, I don’t know, I’m sure there’d be something...” The more he talks the more he seems to prove Yuta right, he sees it with the way the older man’s features soften, settling on morose. 

“This isn’t the right time for us.” 

Jaehyun feels the stinging in his eyes because there’s no denying the truth to Yuta’s words. Perhaps this is really as far as they’ll go, perhaps this is the best they can do, after all, how long can Jaehyun really hide from the world? 

“Tell me you want me to stay, tell me and I’ll never go.” He tries anyway, even as everything shifts out of place, scrambling to hold onto any semblance of the normalcy he found only with Yuta. 

“I want you to stay.” Yuta says, a sad smile tugging on his lips as he straightens his shoulders, “but I also want you to be happy, and it’s not gonna be here with me.” Jaehyun’s stomach twists into knots because that’s not what he wants, but it’s what he needs to hear. Because he’s a coward, Yuta has to be brave for the both of them, unbearable as it may be. Yuta, whose strength lies in his devotion to do the right thing and willingness to make sacrifices. 

“No more regrets.” Yuta adds, inhaling deeply, the steady thumping of his heart loud against Jaehyun’s chest as the distance between them shrinks with every passing second. Jaehyun’s hand moves to the back of Yuta’s head, he cups it and brings their foreheads together in a tender moment he’ll remember every time he closes his eyes. 

When Jaehyun looks back at this memory many years later, he’ll realise that this would be the push he very much needed, and theirs was the love he was always meant to lose. 

-

“Hyung, I’m going back.” 

_“You’re making the right choice, Jaehyun.”_

-

There was a secret shortcut Jaehyun discovered on his third week living with Yuta. A stairway that cut through the hill, with uneven stone steps and a striking view of the sea. He would sometimes find a cat or two napping on the steps, waiting for pets — or a treat — from the unlikely passerby. Yuta rarely took that route and the only time Jaehyun managed to persuade him was when he baited him with the promise of friendly, neighbourhood cats. Staying true to character, Yuta had brought a fresh mackerel and dangled it in front of two cats, one calico and one black, and when Yuta least expected it, Jaehyun pulled him into a deep, bruising kiss that stole his breath and painted his face scarlet.

There were no nearby houses so there was no danger of being seen but Yuta sputtered in embarrassment, before burying his face in Jaehyun’s chest, the fish still dangling from his fingers. The cats purred and rubbed against their legs for attention, _don’t forget to feed us_ , they seemed eager to convey.

“What was that for?” He grumbled then, peering into Jaehyun’s eyes as if he could see the shadows in them, and still held onto him, flawed as he was.

“A keepsake.” 

-

When Yuta drives him back to the city, it’s on an overcast day, the clouds looming heavily over their heads, mirroring the fog in Jaehyun’s heart that only grows thicker as the truck comes to a stop next to the subway station. It feels like a lifetime ago the last time he caught a whiff of the city, a lifetime since Yuta whisked him from the chaos and brought the calm after the storm.

“Don’t look back. It’s gonna make it harder for both of us.” Yuta says softly as he fixes Jaehyun’s cap over his head, his touch lingering. 

“I can’t promise you that.”

“Then I’ll have to leave before I do something stupid.” 

“Can I kiss you?” Yuta looks at him wistfully, like he knows it’s only bound to hurt more but Jaehyun leans forward anyway and captures his lips for the last time. He tastes like Ramune and a long summer day.

“Goodbye Yuta.” 

“Goodbye, Jaehyun…” Yuta says his name with the same thick accent, the same comforting lilt and the thought that this will be the last time he’ll hear it weighs heavily on Jaehyun’s chest. He looks at Yuta’s face and burns every detail into memory. They won’t have tomorrow but he’ll always have Yuta’s smiles and melodious laughter, his eyes that embody the sea and the sky and his incredible conviction that eclipses all his selfish desires.

When Jaehyun finally sets off to find his place in the world he left behind, it takes all of his willpower not to turn back. The engine revs behind him and the wheels of his luggage catches on a stray pebble that he kicks away. His heart pulsates in the kind of pain he has never known until now and he tries and fails to smother it with the promise of the unexpected. When he’s walked far enough that he can’t smell the seawater and the sun anymore, he allows himself to take a peek at the empty spot where the white pickup truck is now nowhere in sight. 

Just like that, that chapter of Jaehyun’s life comes to an end.

-

_“Don’t you think he’s very handsome?” Chiyo’s eyes glow under the fluorescent light as she peers at Yuta’s incredulous expression._

_“His accent sounds so bad I can’t even look past it.” He says only to incite her. Chiyo’s cute when she’s trying to win a one-sided argument. Also, the actor does look handsome in the white and brown high school uniform they dressed him in. He stands out with his pale skin and strong eyes framed by his midnight hair that sticks out in all directions. One thing is for sure, there were no high school students that looked like that back in their time, actually, he’s sure high school boys still don’t look like that even now._

_“Don’t be mean, this is his first appearance in a Japanese drama. I heard he’s a very popular actor in Korea.”_

_“He certainly has the face of one.” He finally relents because there’s no point denying the obvious._

_“He also looks like a pretty good guy.” Yuta scoffs at Chiyo’s starry-eyed look and superficial observation. He’s a little tempted to change the channel._

_“How can you even tell, he’s literally said only three lines so far.”_

_“He just has that look.”_

_“What look?”_

_“The look of someone who has a lot of love to give.”_   
  


-

  
  
  
  


He retraces the steps up the long stairway that cuts through the hill, where neighbourhood cats take their naps and the clouds look closest to the earth. The years didn’t seem wear at the sight because it looks exactly as he remembers it. It’s a shortcut he never paid much attention to until _he_ brought him there by force so he can recreate a magical scene with a kiss and the warm breeze of one summer afternoon in a bayside town. It works, because Yuta will always remember that kiss for as long as he can smell the briny air. 

He reaches his destination in eight long strides and what feels like a lifetime of anticipation. The bird’s eye view of the quaint town below is a familiar comfort he’s almost forgotten exists within the remote obscurity of the forested hill. His memories of this place are a little foggy at best but he remembers the feelings he’d associated with that particular wooden veranda and its current sole occupant.

Jung Jaehyun at 34 has the same dimpled smile and thick, dark hair that the wind rustles ever so gently as he turns towards Yuta with nervous expectations, “Hey.” He says softly, enough that it’s muffled by the sound of the crickets, shrill in the height of the late summer afternoon heat. Yuta feels a little weak at the slight hint of an accent. Hearing his deep voice this close again is lightyears away from watching him speak through the TV screen.

“Jaehyun.” He takes a seat next to him and it’s only then he notices the bright embers burning between his long fingers and the smell of nicotine mixing with his expensive cologne. He’s painfully handsome, like he’s always been, unbearably so that Yuta’s fingers clench over his lap, “It’s been a while.”

The younger chuckles throatily and the sound clears some of the haze from Yuta’s mind, “It’s been more than just a _while_.”

Of course, eight years is something to write home about. It’s long enough time for Yuta to start forgetting all the little details from that summer, when Jaehyun was a young, troubled man walking aimlessly on a deserted road in his Balenciaga sneakers and Yuta was still plagued by a marriage that came to an abrupt end too soon.

“So, the email you sent...” He clears his throat and cuts right to the chase because he doesn’t think he can sit through another gruelling second with his heart in his throat and his mind trapped in a loop of nostalgia.

“Unfinished business.” Is the only explanation Jaehyun offers, before he flicks the ashes from his cigarette, and puts it out on the stone step leading to the veranda. Yuta begins to notice the subtle differences then, Jaehyun no longer breaks into an anxious rant nor does he look away when he’s on edge, instead the younger man holds Yuta’s gaze for a solid second before he says, “You’re still so goddamn beautiful.” 

Yuta’s not going to pretend that the words don’t knock the breath out of him or that his mind doesn’t go into overdrive at the tidal wave of emotions that comes over him. Here in this very house eight years ago, Jaehyun kissed him, made love to him and made promises they wouldn't be able to keep, eight years later, they’re back in the same place, but this time Jaehyun’s a veteran actor who’s already gone MIA from the general public half a year before he reached out to Yuta. He’s not going to pretend that he didn’t follow Jaehyun’s career as it took off after the scandal and he rose into prominence again but as a movie star, and that he familiarised himself with google translate for every article that came out with his name on its headlines. Finally, he’s not going to ignore the fact that he knows what this unfinished business is about, not when Jaehyun still looks at him like he’s the last remaining piece of a massive puzzle he’s spent an eternity putting together.

“And you’re still so damn weird.” He dispels the silence that follows Jaehyun’s sudden declaration. He never really understood what it is Jaehyun sees in him but he knows _that_ hasn’t changed either. He finally builds up the courage to reach out and take one of Jaehyun’s hands, tracing a raised scar on the back of his hand near his thumb, “This one is new though.”

“Yeah, I got that in the army. Looks neat huh? I guess I’m no longer a run off the mill pretty boy…” He trails off as his fingers slip through the spaces between Yuta’s, “And you’re no longer the irritable prude you once were. Kansai surely had a hand in this.” He gestures to the single piece of jewellery hanging from one of his ears. A dangly earring in the shape of a flower, set with multicoloured stones. He’s unable to help the flush that creeps up his neck at the observation.

It’s true that many things have changed since that summer, for one, the house up the hill is no longer his to call home. He and Chiyo decided to sell it on the same year after the whole saga with their divorce, and he had to move back with his parents in Osaka until he got a courier job in Shiga where he’d been staying since. He misses the sea and the lullaby of waves he used to wake up to.

“Did you watch my latest movie?”

“Ah, not yet. I missed the showing in the theatres and it’s impossible to find the subtitled version online.”

“That’s a shame, since that’s my last one.”

“Your last what-?” Yuta perks up in confusion, whirling to face a grinning Jaehyun who fishes something out of his pocket. It’s a paper plane, not a good looking one but it looks sturdy enough for a flight. 

“I checked the weather today, the temperature should be cool enough for this to work.” He exclaims excitedly, bouncing on the tips of his toes towards the railings, ready for his little stunt. From this angle, he resembles the man who once carelessly followed Yuta because he was the only person he knew. 

“Jaehyun, what are you doing?” Yuta asks, slow and a little disbelieving. He takes hesitant steps to Jaehyun, standing right next to him.

“You still don’t get it? Today, the land is cooler than the sea. The conditions are finally perfect, Yuta.” He forces the poorly made plane into Yuta’s hands and guides him by the wrist, “Do it.” He whispers into his ear, his chest against Yuta’s back as he pulls their hands back in anticipation of a strong gust of wind. It comes, and Yuta lets go of the plane in one big swing. 

Together, they watch it soar over the hill and across the small town painted gold by the setting sun, until they couldn’t see it anymore. It could’ve gone down somewhere, caught on an overhead powerline or tangled in the branches of the trees below, there’s no telling what kind of fate befell their little paper plane, but Yuta wants to believe that it made it to the sea.

When he turns in Jaehyun’s hold, he’s met with a satisfied smile and the realisation that what was once just a dream is finally, little by little, turning into his reality. 

He nudges their noses together, his fingers pressing onto Jaehyun’s skin in soothing circles as he whispers, voice cracking a little at the end, “Thank you. For everything.” and Jaehyun retaliates with a chuckle and a fierce kiss that bellies his desperation and relief and everything in between, arms tight around Yuta’s waist in a silent plea to _stay_. Stay in my arms, always.

-

It’s in a house on top of a hill overlooking the Setouchi sea that Yuta begins to weave his happiness into a colourful ball of memories. Tangled within are brief moments of Jaehyun cooking them curry for dinner, — he’s now a master of Japanese curry — of Jaehyun banging his head on the low hanging kitchen divider because he’s too tall and this house, too, is made for slightly shorter people, and of them purchasing a queen size bed that doesn’t quite fit into the front door so they had to have it lifted and passed through the master bedroom window. 

When Yuta can’t sleep, he counts the stars from the small balcony in their bedroom, and sometimes he’ll take a quick peek at the house to their left where he usually finds the familiar veranda crowded by three kids, siblings, spitting watermelon seeds on the ground in some sort of competition at midday. Tonight, it’s empty and it looks every bit like the place where his heart was broken twice, and permanently mended by a man with a terrible sense of direction. 

“Yuta! Come to bed!” Jaehyun calls out from inside, impatient as always. He supposes Jaehyun has become a little bit more tolerable with age, probably a little more enchanting too.

“I’ll be there.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> yes, surprise, yujae moves into the abandoned house next to yuta's haha
> 
> how was it? not as bad as it probably seemed around the end right? Also fun fact, tomonoura is the town that served as inspiration for miyazaki's ponyo \o/
> 
> i'm not completely satisfied with how i wrote this but i was assured by my first reader that it was interesting enough so i'm completely banking on that. i hope everyone else enjoyed this. stay safe everyone!!


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